No Day For Heroes: The Beginning
by ChampagneTasteBeerMoney
Summary: AU flashback of Sam and Mercedes' first meeting.


"Order up!"

The sizzle of the pop and grease of the hot grill filled the ears of everyone in the diner. To the customers, it was nice to come to this secluded rest stop and have a good meal, talk to other truckers and flirt a little with the pretty waitresses. Those said waitresses, loved the place so much and the owner, Jiggy of Jiggy's Joint, they were willing to admire the little perks of the diner as well. Jiggy was an overweight and overloving man of a certain age, who always met his employees at hard times in their lives. Tina just lost her parents in a car accident. Santana ran away from a bad situation with a bad guy, taking her scars with her. But Mercedes...Mercedes was different. She had a decent upbringing and was never in any trouble. With some college credits, the girl was clearly over-qualified but Jiggy felt that she was stuck and she needed to get out and get out she did. Mercedes became a favorite with the customers being the inbetween of Santana's sassy and Tina's sweetness. Also, she grew on the other girls' even moving into a small apartment with them. She was helpful with the books at each month, the problem solver with irritable customers and always sang along to radio making everyone smile. Jiggy knew that all of his girls were meant for something greater than his diner but Mercedes especially.

It was 5 'o' clock and the Joint was cooling down. Only a few locals sat at the counter and one stranger sat in a booth. The guy had been there since noon, refusing to order from Tina and Santana except water. A toothpick danced in his mouth, while he hid everything except his eyes in the withered Menu. He stared at them and they stared back, not even caring that he probably knew they were talking about him.

"Okay, that's it." Santana said, throwing down her washcloth. "I'm going to tell guppy if he doesn't want to order actual food, he can go drink somethin' from the river."

Tina held her back, "No, Santana. He's a customer."

"You can't be a customer if you don't buy anything." Santana said indirectly to the pretty-eyed stranger.

"Mercedes!" Tina called. Mercedes was on the other side of the counter, entertaining some regulars with small town chat. When she walked over to the girls, she felt some eyes on her but didn't turn around.

"Have you asked that guy to order anything yet?" Tina asked. Mercedes looked to the man in the corner, who now openly singled her out with his eyes.

"No. Why?"

"I think he _wants you_ to." Santana scoffed, putting her freshly permed waves in a ponytail, exposing the burn mark on the left side of her forehead. Mercedes glanced at the man again. No doubt he was handsome, but something about his stare made her go cold.

"I don't think so." Mercedes said, bashfully with her hands in her apron pouch.

"Oh, c'mon. We both tried to get him to order something all day. You're the only one who hasn't tried yet." Tina said. One more look was cast to the man in the booth and Mercedes sighed.

"Okay, but if you're wrong I give Santana permission to kick him out." Santana smiled especially wide and both the girls crossed their arms to watch something unfold between Mercedes and the strange man. Mercedes slowly strolled over to the booth, frightened for absolutely no reason. His eyes glowed beneath the rim of his Nashville baseball cap.

"Hi, are you ready to order?" Mercedes said, prepared to write down anything the man ordered. The man smugly sat back and his large hands stretched along the table.

"I don't know." He said with a southern drawl that let Mercedes know he wasn't from around here. "What's good?... Mercedes?" The man saw her name tag and threw a smile at her. The way he said her name made her toes wiggle.

"At Jiggy's, everything's good."

"Mm, I'll bet it is." The stranger hummed and licked his lips, visibly sizing Mercedes up. His eyes took their time imagining what, how big and how kissable everything was underneath her pale yellow uniform dress. "I guess I'll just have to order everything."

After rolling her eyes at skeeze of the man, Mercedes' eyes bulged. "What?"

"Yes, I'll need one of everything. Oh, and I'll need you to eat with me."

"What?" She repeated with a little more astonishment.

"I want you and the whole menu, please." He said simply.

"If you couldn't see, I'm working." Mercedes said annoyed, gesturing to the small crowd that now had the couple's full attention.

"It's not that busy in here. Why not take a load off? And I'm a customer, right? So, you kinda have to do what I say." He made a helpless grin that excited or agitated Mercedes. She couldn't figure it out.

"Yes, sir, but-"

"Look, I've been watching you all day." He leaned in to whisper, "You work harder than anyone in here. You could take a break, baby."

Mercedes tapped her foot to distract the pain shooting up her leg from being on her feet all day. Tina, Santana and Jiggy always said that she worked too hard but never a customer.

"Listen," Mercedes tone grew firm as she was losing her patience, "I can get you whatever you want from the menu but I, _customer_, am not on it-"

"I'll tip you more than you make a month in here." The stranger looked down from the waitresses' shocked face to check his wallet. "Which is...taking out the money for the food...$500."

Mercedes looked around to see where the hidden camera was, "Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack."

"Are you crazy?"

"No. I just know what I want."

Literally sputtering, she quickly walked away to her friends who weren't directly in earshot. Tina suggested to the persistant Santana that they should keep a respectful distance, instead of just sitting the the next booth over like Santana wanted. Mercedes took her friends inside the kitchen and told them of the strangers' not really decent proposal.

"$500!" They said in unison. "Shit! I knew I should've went braless today!" Santana stressed while picking up one of her breasts, then the other.

"Well, you're going to do it, right?" Santana then asked.

"No!" Mercedes said. Santana's quirked an eyebrow. "No?" She questioned.

"Listen if a customer came in, looked that fine and just wanted to have dinner with me? I'd-" Santana remembered that she was at her place of work and tried to remain proper. "Look, I'd do it. Besides, it's not like you're alone in here. We'll all protect you if he tries to do somethin' cray-cray."

"There is something called dignity that I want to protect-" Mercedes defended.

"Dignity, schmignity!" Santana cut her off, "It's not like he wants the booty; he wants the beauty. Have dinner with him, one of us could use some sausage from all the muffin-tops that usually come into this place." Mercedes looked over to silent Tina.

"What do you say, T?"

"Well... It's just dinner, right? No strings attached?" Mercedes nodded. "Do it." Tina said with a growing smile.

* * *

The couple got the full treatment from the diner, with some of the locals throwing mean looks at the stranger's willingness to flash money that they didn't have. Sam, Mercedes learned his name was, entertained her with impressions of famous people and taste-testing in which he fed her. She has never tried everything on the menu because she never sat to take the time and everything actually was good. First, of course, she objected but he coerced her into letting him take care of her. The results were satisfying to both ends. The dinner went long until closing time, Sam even being there to lock up. Sam and Mercedes were the last to leave, with Tina and Santana waiting by their previously owned Dodge.

"That was certainly-" Mercedes started, smiling at the ground.

"Fun? It's okay, you can admit it." Sam joked, making her laugh a little.

"Okay, it was fun." Sam and Mercedes walked into the direction of his shiny, black car. "That's your car? Wow, you must be someone important." Sam just lifted his shoulders with a grin.

They just looked at each other for a minute, then remembering the deal, Sam awkwardly shuffled into his back-pocket and fished for the $500 he promised.

"Here you go." He said, gently. Mercedes didn't want to take the money but knew Santana would kill her if she didn't. She reluctantly took the cash and put it in her coat pocket, thanking him. The horn of a car beeped and they saw a red car waiting to leave.

"Well, I have to go." Mercedes said, regretful. "Take care, Sam." She said, looking back at him every now and then while running to the car. Mercedes got into the back seat and soon, all he saw were fading tail lights. Sam sighed and let his breath cloud up in front of his face. Little did she know, this wouldn't be the last time they'd see eachother.

The next day, the girls' followed the same routine and were hurrying back and forth in the diner to keep up with the morning rush. Another jingle of the door bell, Santana turned around to greet the customer and her mouth curled into a slick smile.

"Well, well, well. Hold on, I'll get her." Sam didn't even have to say a word for Santana to know what he wanted. She flew into the kitchen and past the wide-set Jiggy to Mercedes. "Nashville's back..." Santana sung quietly in her friends' ear before going back out. Mercedes was about to drop the dishes full of food out of surprise but composed herself and walked back out into the diner. She delivered her orders as if nothing was different, then she had to face the green eyed monster.

"Hey, Sam! Still hungry after all that food, huh?" Mercedes asked behind the counter. He looked down with a smile before seriously saying, "Yeah, I'm hungry for somethin'." He licked his lips in such a way that made Mercedes quiver.

"Well, what can I get you?"

"Another dinner tonight. Y'know cuz, we didn't finish all of it." One of everything on the whole menu was a lot of food, so much that Sam had to take the rest home.

Mercedes paused, then shook her head and passing another man a salt shaker, "I don't know about that, Sam."

"What, you got plans tonight?"

"... No." It should've been an easy for her to make something up, but something about the man made it hard for Mercedes to lie to him.

"Good, then you should have dinner with me."

"Here?"

"Naw. It's gonna be a surprise."

Mercedes collected more plates and dashed around Sam, "You know you're going to have to wait until my shift is over." Sam made an unimpressed look before taking his same seat in the same booth.

"I'll wait."

So, Sam waited. He waited until closing time, just like yesterday. Mercedes had another meeting with her consultants outside of the closed resturant. Sam was still waiting outside of his car and Santana cracked a joke that he should be a 'waiter'. As good as the joke was, the girls didn't appreciate it.

"So, he wants to go to dinner with you now?" Tina asked. "Where is he even taking you?"

"He said it's a surprise." Mercedes shrugged.

"By yourselves? No. No. No. Nope. No way." Tina shook her head.

"Okay, mom. Listen, stranger or not, that man paid for more than half of our rent!" Santana pointed to the black lexus. "Who knows how much more doe Cedes' could get out of the dude."

"It's not about that-" Mercedes started.

"So, she should just go with him? Totally vulnerable?" Santana's tongue clicked at Tina's good point. Then, she rummaged inside her purse. She handed Mercedes a container of pepper spray, a rape whistle, a xcto-knife and a stun gun.

"I don't even know how to use half of these." Mercedes said, looking at Santana's weapons of choice in her hands.

"Trust me, in the right situation, you'll figure it out."

"Mercedes, I love you and you're beautiful but that guy spending half a G on you upon meeting should prove that he's some kind of crazy." Tina stated. "Dinner inside the diner was one thing but I don't know about this."

"Well, it doesn't matter what you know." Santana told the worried girl. "Mercedes, what do you wanna do?"

Mercedes bit her lower lip, thinking. Both girls brought up very relevant issues but the final decision was up to her.

"I think...I wanna go with him." She said slowly. Tina rolled her eyes while Santana smiled at her defeat. They walked half-way Mercedes to over to Sam, before Santana giving her a hug and telling her to be safe then going off to their car. Tina escorted her the whole way so she could say a few words to Sam.

"She's a good person. People love her. She better come home safe." Tina warned him. Sam raised eyebrows at the girl before getting what she meant, he nodded and said, "Don't worry. I won't kill her."

"You better not." Mercedes gave Tina a strong hug and Sam opened the door for Mercedes to get in the passenger side. Mercedes shot one last look of assurance towards Tina before the door shut and Sam got into the car and pulled away.

* * *

An hour driving and the desolate scenery was soon excited into the pretty nightlife of downtown. Mercedes secretly hoped they weren't going anywhere fancy, her hair was okay but she was still in her jacket and uniform. They pulled up to an ornate building, with a ritzy entrance that said 'Parkside Manor' overhead. The apartment lobby was very high-class, it could've been a hotel because she definitely felt like Eloise.

Mercedes' eyes bulged as she watched Sam's long finger push the elevator button for the penthouse so it glowed. She must've internally gasped because Sam looked at her but Mercedes' tried to cover up by just looking at the numbers rise.

Sam kicked off his shoes and told the frozen Mercedes, "Well, sit down, lie down or squat down but make yourself at home!"

But it didn't look like anyone's home. Sam opened the door to what Mercedes' considered a glorified man cave. Half the walls were metal and the other wood, custom applied. The floor was slick with cherry hardwood and looked freshly waxed. Some nice rugs were spread for style but otherwise, save a guitar and some playing cards, the place was pretty bare and hardly personal. Like how an employee would undress a mannequin, Sam lightly took Mercedes jacket.

"Wow, you live in a penthouse?" Mercedes said, coming back to life when her peacoat sleeve was at her elbow.

"Yeah, it's not that big of a deal." Sam put the coat on the rack.

"It is to someone who has to share a tiny bathroom with two other girls." Mercedes muttered. Sam led her to an old, wooden table that only had two matching chairs. Sam went into his kitchen and put Jiggy's leftovers in the microwave. When he came back, Mercedes was fidgeting.

"Is somethin' wrong?" He asked and Mercedes eyebrows shot up.

"No, it's just...I kind of fidget when I'm nervous." Sam gave a kind smile and put a styrofoam tray in front of her before sitting down with his own food. Mercedes forgot to eat again that day and despite the manners that were embedded into the Jones' name, she stormed away into that turkey without giving it a second thought. Sam was a lot more patient, however, as he pressed the palms of his hands together first to say a quiet prayer before delicately eating.

Mercedes saw this and with her mouth full, "Gosh, I'm being rude. I hate rude people," then she realized she was being even more rude talking with her mouth full so she swallowed, "And now I'm being rude. I'm sorry."

Sam smiled and waved his head at her concern, "You think I eat this way all the time? I was just tryin' to impress ya." He put down the knife and fork and picked up a turkey leg by its bone and tore piece of its skin with his teeth. Mercedes giggled with her mouth closed.

"So, can I ask you a question?" Mercedes said, picking at her mashed potatoes. Sam nodded. "What do you do?"

"Do?"

"Yeah, I mean, having a place like this can't be chump change."

Sam gulped, "I'm self-employed."

"So, you own a business?" Mercedes guessed.

"Somethin' like that."

"If I could guess it, would you tell me?"

Sam shrugged, "Sure, but you won't guess."

"Um...You own stock?"

"No."

"Do you...flip businesses?"

"No."

"... Oh my God, are you an heir?"

Sam laughed and shook his head, "No." He noted Mercedes' disappointed look but it wasn't because he didn't have a trust fund but that she thought she was onto something.

"Alright, fine. So, you won't tell me." Mercedes concluded. "But can I ask you something else?" Sam shrugged.

"Why did you invite me here? I mean, is this what you do for a living? Pick up unsuspecting waitresses and whisk them away to your penthouse, woo them with dinner and then hack them to bits when your through with them?"

Sam looked genuinely amused at Mercedes' analysis before making a crooked smile and teasing, "Nah, I don't chop 'em up. I like to eat 'em." He said with all seriousness, licking his lips, showing the pink slickness of his tongue.

Mercedes blushed, knowing she shouldn't be turned on by a move that creepy. She couldn't help herself though. This stranger, potential murderer, was attractive and she wanted him. When the thought of him eating her out dashed across her mind, she sprouted up her chair excited.

"What's the matter?" Sam asked innocently.

"Nothing, but I have to go." Mercedes got to the coat rack so fast, it gave him whiplash.

"But-but why? Ain't you havin' a good time?" Sam said to Mercedes' back who was still putting on her peacoat.

Mercedes sighed, "Yes but - I don't know you." Tina frequently chided Mercedes inside her thoughts to remind her. Sam's hands slid into his backpockets as he crept closer to look harmless, but his eyes said something lethal, whispering "Don't you wanna get to know me?"

"Yes, but-" Their noses were inches away and Sam kept his pretty green eyes on Mercedes' quivering, cute lips. "I wanna get to know you." He cut her off. "I wanna know every-" Sam stole a chaste kiss.

"Single-" He took another, darting his tongue inside quickly. "Part of you." Both of his large hands palmed and squeezed her backside while he Mercedes hung by his lips.

"But, Sam-" It occurred to her that she didn't even know his last name. By the time his fingers snaked up her thigh, she didn't care.

"Ain't you tired, honey? You run 'round that hot diner, takin' care of everybody." Sam breathed against her lips as Mercedes whimpered. "No ever takes care of you. Won't you let me, baby? Hmm?" He hummed an intoxicating kiss. "All I wanna do is take care of you."

Sam lifted the temporarily paralyzed girl to his bathroom, where he started the water to an indoor-swimming pool that tried to be a bathtub. Tenderly, he undressed Mercedes and put her in the tub, then did the same for himself. Mercedes rested against Sam's broad, bare frame and cooed helplessly at his talented tongue on her neck and rhythmic fingers in her opening.

Later, while waiting with anticipation in his big, comfortable bed, Mercedes heard Sam ask her to get some condoms that were in one of the cubby holes against his wall. She leaned up on the headboard and saw nearly 30 little metal doors above his bed. She assumed that they'd be in the one closest to his nightstand but she was appalled by what she found. Her hands caressed the revolver of the Baretta lovingly, then touched the wad of 100's wrapped in a thick rubber band. She didn't know what to do or how to feel but she kept rubbing her hands over the gun like it was an 8 ball. Should she just pretend she never saw it? Or, maybe she should take control and threaten Sam's life before he could do so to her? One thing she has learned from living with the girls and being on her own is to never be a victim.

Suddenly, there was another presence in the room. Mercedes saw a large shadow beside her and turned quickly to see Sam, standing with wet hair and large eyes. Blankly staring back at him, she stuttered still holding the cash and gun in her hands.

"I - I didn't mean to - They just -" Mercedes tried to explain herself but the stark nakedness of her fluster and the man opposite her was distracting. Sam slowly came towards her, it reminded her of the old monster movies she'd watch as a kid. Even though the attacker moved at a negative speed, somehow it made her more frightened. With a surge of confidence, she pointed the barrel at Sam's figure and he stopped. But he wasn't scared of the inexperienced marksman but amused that she'd actually turn a gun on him. He made a sideways smirk at the shaky way she held the gun. Sam could tell she hadn't thought of what to do with the weapon once she had it.

Sam took another step, "Don't come any closer!" She yelled, unsure. Then he took more steps and Mercedes eyes' were full of fear. She wanted to pull the trigger but her hands become frozen. Desperate, she shut her eyes tightly and screamed when Sam was in her personal space, but all he did was get behind her. His hard arms grabbed ghosted hers and he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"You were holdin' it wrong." He whispered, overpowering his grasp of the gun in her hands. "See, you gotta hold it straight and look your enemy in the eyes ... then BAM! You blow him away."

Mercedes made a split look to Sam, trying to figure when he trapped her. How he so slyly encased her in his cage. Then, he looked at her and in one swift motion, the gun was snatched from her and Mercedes was flipped on the bed. Sam stuffed the gun in the cubby hole and hovered over her. First, mimed biting her lips then he went for her bottom lip and nibbled, dragging some of the flesh with the imprint of his teeth. Mercedes groaned when Sam pressed himself against her with his warmth. He found her hands and raised them above her head, then slid into home without much protest.

Sam rocked nearly rocked Mercedes into amnesia until the wee hours of the morning. Nearly. After it was decided that she wouldn't be going to work that morning, Mercedes snuggled against his chest and Sam encouraged her with his arm to get as close as possible.

"Sam."

"Hm?" He muttered lightly, stroking her skin softly.

"Drugs?" Mercedes asked.

After a while Sam said, "No."

"The mafia?"

"No."

".. Hitman?"

He chuckled, "No."

She sat up to look at him with doe-like, he cupped her cheek. "Sam, I think I deserve to know if I'm sleeping with a criminal."

Sam sighed, "Listen, if you really want to see what I do, you can see it tomorrow." Mercedes made a half-hearted smile and laid her head back on his chest. She was nodding off to sleep when Sam prodded her side.

"Mercedes?"

"Yeah?" She said with her eyes closed.

".. What if I told you, you didn't have to work anymore?" Her eyes opened at that.

"I have to work. It's a part of life."

"Yeah, but what if you didn't have to?"

"But I do."

* * *

"You're not coming into work today? Are you sure you're all right, Mercedes? .. Okay, if you're sure. Just call me when you're coming home or not okay? Bye." Tina tapped the end call symbol and stuffed her phone in the pocket of her apron.

Santana threw her a smile while holding empty dishes, "Guppy got game."

Tina gave her a mock one and huffed, "Yeah, so do serial killers."

On the other side of town, Sam pulled up in front of a convience store with Mercedes in the passenger seat. When the car squeaked to a halt, Sam grinded his back teeth now regretting his decision to bring innocent Mercedes. He tried to change her mind that morning with kisses and back massages, but the girl was resilient. Why did he even offer to bring her? Because he wasn't thinking. Again. Well, he couldn't really renig now, unless...

"Darlin' do you mind stayin' in the car for a minute?" He asked with his aviator's gleaming against the sun.

"Really? But I thought -"

"I know you were supposed to see me in action but I don't know how he'll feel about me bringin' someone unannounced." He lied, putting on his beanie to cover his hair. Mercedes side-eyed the man, knowing that he was hiding something but still she decided that she'd play his game. She has been for this long. He palmed her face and gave her a smooch before exiting the car and going into the store.

So, it was Mercedes turn to wait. She fixed the way his sweatshirt fit so close to her body. She played with the radio and rubbed any residue off her front teeth in the rear-view mirror. Not even five minutes and she was getting antsy. Mercedes put her energy into her foot and folded her arms. Finally, letting curiosity get the best of her, she left the car and strode into the corner store.

The cramped space looked near desolate, there wasn't even a person behind the register. She looked up and saw Sam on one of the camera screens. Using that as her guide, she spotted Sam in a comprimising position. Stealthly, he was sneaking goods into his pockets and Jansport backpack. After snagging a few Diet Cherry cokes for 'Cedes, he looked up and saw her standing with same expression she had when the money and gun were found: complete shock. Sam was going to explain but she was slowly backing away, devasted the man of her dreams was a thief. She didn't know call the police or help Sam. Soon, she didn't have a choice.

An angry, small man came out from behind the cereal shelf with a bat in hand. He was yelling in his language and pointing the tip of the slugger in Sam's direction, running in front of the invisible Mercedes. Presumably the owner, he brought the bat up to swing and unarmed Sam was about to duck for cover when the man's body began to shake violently. Sam thought he was going into a seizure before he fell lifeless to the floor. Then, he saw Mercedes holding a stun gun, shivering almost like the bat-wielding owner. She was taking deep breaths, looking at Sam then the man on the floor. Stun guns couldn't kill people .. right?

Before she could tap his limp side with the tip of her shoe, Sam grabbed her hand they ran out of the store.

"Get in the car, Mercedes." Sam strained, while he was trying to unlock the stuck door. Mercedes still stared at him, trying to figure out if he knew what he was. Or if she knew. "GET IN THE CAR!" He yelled at her once his door was open.

Mercedes followed orders and jumped into the passenger seat. The car flew off down the street and back to Parkside Manor. The two people sat silent side by side the whole time, not even daring to look at each other.

Then Sam scolded, "I told you to stay in the car, Mercedes! Dammit, why didn't ya just listen to me?"

Mercedes gaped at the man and was near tears because he didn't even appreciate that she saved his life possibly. She was about to shoot back at him, when he grabbed her face and gave her a deep, passionate kiss.

"That was so stupid," He breathed in between lip-locked. Releasing her mouth, Sam still held her head to taste her tears. "This is why I didn't even want you to come! Why would you do that?"

"I-I don't know." Mercedes stammered. "I just saw him with that bat - and you - I didn't know what to do -" Sam kissed her sobs again.

"Oh, baby, you made yourself an accessory now! There gonna come after you!"

"Well, what would you do in this situation?"

Sam's hand removed his beanie so his could shag through his hair. "Well, it's time to leave. I mean, I used a fake name and shit so, I'm not really connected to the penthouse. I never have a lot so, it's pretty easy to pick up when I want to." Tears fell carelessly from her eyes while she was going over things in her mind.

"When would you leave?" She said quietly.

"A.S.A.P."

* * *

Later that night, Santana was lounging in front of their 25" television at home, after she gave it a few whacks of the hand. She had her feet up on the coffee table to Tina's chagrin and was eating a sloppy joe sandwich getting splotches on her mouth and white shirt. The news was on and Tina was making herself some Earl Grey tea.

"You heard from Mercedes, yet?" Santana asked, while Tina was sitting down with her mug.

"Nope. I don't know Santana, I'm getting worried."

"You're always worried. Like a chihuahua." Santana joked, then noted Tina's pouty face. "Look, I'm sure she's okay T." She said seriously, then turned up the news on T.V.

"Today, Haab's Corner Store on Bucks st. got robbed by a caucasian male with sunglasses and and a slouchy, knit hat." The newsanchor announced. The screen showed the store's camera view of the robbery and the girls' saw a chunky figure that looked like their friend but didn't take it seriously, until the anchorman continued.

"The accomplice was a african-american female that tasered the owner when he attempted to take the robber down."

A playback showed Mercedes sneaking up behind the man and shocking volts into him with Santana's stun gun.

"Fuck me." Santana said to herself, with her sandwich in her lap. Tina covered her mouth and started to cry. The anchorman wasn't done with the story but Tina turned to T.V. off. The girl paced a few times before heading to the phone.

"What are you doing?" Santana followed her.

"I'm calling 911!" Santana snatched the phone from Tina and put it back on the dial. "Do you need more proof, Santana? Ovbiously, she's been kidnapped!" Tina said hysterically.

"Do you really think Mercedes would just let some barney snatch her up? Give her more credit, T."

"But she wouldn't do something like this! That isn't her! Maybe if I call the police and they can find her - "

"So she can end up in jail, have a legit criminal record and hate us forever." Tina sobbed more and Santana sighed, "Look, I get what you're saying but I'm not gonna turn her in because she's my friend and as much as I want her safe, I trust that she knows what she's doing. "

"So, what do we do?" Tina asked, hopeless.

"Nothing."

In the middle of their sleepless night, Tina finally got a text from Mercedes.

_T and Tana:_

_Please don't worry about me. I am fine. I love you both very much. _

_Mercedes._

Over the next year, Tina got the same exact text from a series of different numbers. She saved them all.

**A/N: This felt a little rushed to me but I wanted to commit and get this done for you guys. Hope you enjoyed.**


End file.
